Author: Frederic Friedel
Date: 16:24:18 09/11/00
Go up one level in this thread
On September 11, 2000 at 19:00:25, Dann Corbit wrote:
>New England in general is a fascinating place to watch the transformation of the
>letter 'R'
>
>Boston (r->h):
>'Park the car in harvard yard' becomes 'Pahk the cah in Havahd yahd."
That IS the way it is pronounced. It's know as ahlessness (R-lessness) and is
the way English is pronounced on this side of the Atlantic. And in Boston, and
by Mayor Quimby.
>Brooklyn (r->oi):
>'Chirp, chirp said the bird' becomes 'Choip, choip said the boid."
As in "Look, look, it's a boid!" -- "No Jimmy, it's a 'bird'" -- "Funny, I
could've sworn it was a boid."
>New Hampshire (r->w):
>'Red Rooster' becomes 'Wed Woostaw' (the second 'w' is nearly silent).
>
Native speakers of English all pout slightly when pronouncing the initial R.
Foreigners often learn to pronounce the R perfectly -- well, exactly as it is
pronounced where they live -- but they give themselves away by keeping their
mouths wide. It's subtle, but a phonetician can easily spot it.
>Chess application?
>If someone said, "My wook is on the fuwst wank"... {Elmer-fuddite from NH}
>We'll know exactly what they mean. But instead of "wily widdle wascals" they
>will probably be after "cwafty" ones, or perhaps "Webel and Chess Tigew" or even
>"Fwitz".
:-))
How come nobody comments on the Life of Brian stuff I've been using?
Pilate Huh. Now, what is your name, Jew?
Brian Brian, sir.
Pilate Bwian, eh?
Brian No no. Brian. [The centurian whaps him across the head.]
Aaah.
Pilate Hoohoohoohoo. The little wascal has spiwit.
Cntrian Has what, sir?
Pilate Spiwit.
Cntrian Yes, he did, sir.
Pilate Nono, spiwit. Uh, bwavado, a touch of dewwing-do.
Cntrian Oh, Ah... About eleven, sir.
Pilate So. You dare to waid us.
Brian To what sir?
Pilate Stwike him, centuwion, vewwy woughly.
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